


Save a Dance

by orphan_account



Category: Left 4 Dead 2
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-10-09
Packaged: 2018-02-20 11:13:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2426678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>But don't forget who's takin' you home,</i>
  <br/><i>And in who's arms you're gonna be</i>
  <br/><i>So darling, save the last dance</i>
  <br/><i>For me.</i>
</p>
<p>Impromptu dancing in the wee hours of the morning is always a good idea, especially when its to an ancient jukebox in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. </p>
<p>(Another old fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Save a Dance

The crackling and popping of the jukebox woke Nick up, snarling softly into the humid air, head jolting up from the crook of his elbow to shoot a sleepy glare at the hick, bent over the dials with a slight frown creasing his face. Nick watched for a moment, then let his head fall again with a slight huff. The white noise went on, prickling at the hairs at the nape of Nick's neck and setting his muscles into tense, irritated spasms. He growled, and heard Ellis jump slightly.

"…Nick? You awake?"

The conman propped himself on his elbows, the cement floor of the pool hall biting into every point of bone in his body; the lines of his ribs, the sharp points of his hips. He winced at the movement. "I am now, Sport. The _fuck_ are you doing?"

"M'playin' the jukebox!" The hick grinned enthusiastically, pointing to the glowing box. "It still works, man, isn't this great?"

"Yeah," Nick snorted. "Now we can listen to music as we get our skulls bashed in. Turn it off, kid. It'll attract too much attention."

"An' Coach's snoring don't already?" Ellis' lower lip pulled down in a subtle pout. Nick arched a brow at the childish expression, fighting off an amused smirk. "C'mon, don'chuu want some music after all this mess?"

"Music won't fix anything."

With a sudden loud pop that made Nick swear loudly, glancing behind him to the other side of the bar, where Coach and Rochelle were sleeping, Coach sprawled on the ground as Nick had been, Rochelle curled neatly in a booth. The gambler sighed, curling his lip at Ellis as static-distorted music began to play softly. Ellis whooped.

"Lookit that, man! It's runnin'!"

Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, good."

"Aw, Nick," Ellis drawled, face pressed to the glass as he flipped through song titles. Nick heard a sudden, unexpected sarcastic note in the Georgian's voice, coupled with a devilish half-smile on Ellis' full mouth. "Don' be a sourpuss. Whut kinda music do yuh like?"

"The kind that won't get me mauled by zombies." 

Ellis only chuckled softly as he selected a song, the faint click as the record set into place making Nick twitch nervously. As the first few notes began to play, his eyes widened fractionally, body going rigid. Ellis glanced at him over his shoulder, blushing, before he turned to Nick with an air of watery confidence. He smiled, holding out his hand with an upturned palm.

"…Thought yuh'd like this one."

"The hell're you-"

"Yuh want to?"

… _what?_...

Nick couldn't understand the hopeful look on the hick's face, or why he was reaching out. He didn't want to. He backed away, mouth going dry. The small of his back hit a pool table. 

Ellis shrugged. "Just thought it'd be fun. You…" he swallowed hard. "Yuh might like to… Considerin' everythin'…"

"Considering _what_?" The conman gasped.

"I… I dunno, man!" Ellis grimaced. The song was building, the steady thrum of bass guitar and drumbeat vibrating softly in Nick's veins. It was much too hard for him to take a decent breath, his eyes locking with the Georgian's in a mild panic. A gentle piano started in, making his knees want to rattle as he watched Ellis, shoulder slumping, hand still outstretched. He could only stare, gape, grope absently in his mind for the proper response to this. He was coming up with blanks.

"…I jus' saw the jukebox an' thought I'd put on a song that you'd like… I'm sorry, I won'… I'll turn it off." Shrinking in on himself, the kid turned to shut off the machine. Nick grit his teeth in sudden, hideous, impulsive resolve and stepped forward, grasping Ellis' wrist and yanking him back, shifting their hands to entwine their fingers, Ellis thudding against his chest with a breathy _uhff_. Nick's movements were awkward, jerky as he slowly made a graceful arch with their linked arms and stepped back, an invitation. Ellis froze for an instant before his face lit up and he ducked under it, swinging back and trusting Nick to support him as he caught his balance. Nick's shoulders lost a bit of their anxious tension.

"I don't dance," the gambler growled as he brought Ellis in close again, his mouth just brushing the other man's ear. Their feet were moving at little more than a shuffle, but it was enough. Ellis' face was glowing pink, a blissful smile etched over his plump lips. Nick rolled his eyes and began to step a little quicker, a little more in time to the music. Ellis followed gleefully, palm moving up to settle on Nick's shoulder blade,making the the conman shiver and wince at the intimate contact. It was too familiar. Way too familiar. But when he heard a persistent little squeak from the boy, he sighed and circled a cautious arm around his waist, tensing again when Ellis' cheek pressed to his chest. When Nick twirled Ellis again, it was mostly an attempt at keeping distance. Their fingers stayed tightly locked, their bodies spinning and dipping in time to the music. Nick's chest was giving light little quivers, something that he refused to dwell on. He wasn't fluttery. Not about the kid. 

This was just too damn _fun_.

Faster. Their feet moved and crossed over each other, Nick relaxing into the rhythm and gently pulling Ellis closer, crushing their bodies together as the music swelled, lifting up and pulling the hick's feet off the ground in a slow, graceful spin, locking their eyes and finally giving up a slight smile. Ellis yelped in surprise, melting into a startled laugh as Nick set him down again, smile growing, enjoying the simple closeness and the way they were beginning to fit together as they danced, his dress shoes scuffing on the cement floor and just barely colliding with Ellis' boots. Slowly, he coaxed the hick back into a dip, palm flat against the small of his back and encouraging his spine to arch. The Georgian's hand shot up to keep his hat from falling to the ground as he was suspended, still for a moment before Nick pulled him up and spun him again, brushing their foreheads in a perfectly chaste touch. 

Somehow, the conman wasn't disappointed at the lack of sexual intent in each touch. It wasn't like the other times he'd been close to Ellis. There was no primal urge, or need. He was so content to be close and warm, floating with him this way. He closed his eyes and smirked at the tiny giggles that were slipping from Ellis' lips, deciding against capturing them with his own. He liked the sound too much to stifle it.

The music was fading, drawing to a soft close. They stopped moving, Ellis staying just as close to Nick, the crown of his head tucked under the gambler's chin. Nick stood still, fingers idly playing with the folds of Ellis' yellow t-shirt just as the hick's were picking at the fabric of his blue dress shirt. 

The thick drawl came hesitantly, reluctant to break the peaceful silence, broken only by the occasional grunting snore from the other side of the bar and the odd growl from outside the barricaded hall.

"Yuh… You sure you cain't dance, Nick?"

The conman snorted, touching his lips to the side of Ellis' face for just an instant before he stepped back, frowning at the visible slump that settled over the Georgian's body as contact was severed. 

"I said I don't," he murmured, extending out a hand. "Not that I can't."

Ellis eyed the hand warily, steeping forward to let Nick's arm slip over his shoulder as they walked back to where Nick had been sleeping, settling down together as the jukebox skipped to the next song.


End file.
